It is not unusual in National Parks, amusement parks, zoos, etc. to see people stop at an unoccupied picnic table to change a baby's diaper. Some put down a blanket first,then dispose of the diaper in the trash. Some don't. The thought gives me shudders.

I worked in a grocery store pharmacy in a low income neighborhood. We were right next to the diaper aisle, and people were always ripping open the packages, changing their kid, and leaving the dirty diaper on the shelf.

And then there was the dad that refused to take his son out of our extremely small testing room, change him and return for us to complete the other half hour of testing. I fear he was planning on taking the child home so mom could do the change. Child ended up getting the abbreviated test and report noted that there was some "cooperation issues".

Depending upon the nature of your bathrooms, your office may have been an appealing alternative. I once looked after my then-boyfriend's baby nephew while he took his sister to the doctor. To use the restroom in the building, you had to use an official key, and the bathroom doors were very heavy and impossible to turn the key (which had to be turned as you were pulling open the door) while also pulling open the door! I didn't want to put the baby on the dirty floor in order to open the door and tried in vain for a quarter of an hour until someone came by and offered me assistance. What a nightmare! That baby came awfully close to being changed on the floor in the hallway!

Um, eh, ah, nope. Can't come up with anything witty to say. In all fairness, I'm not exactly known for being witty but still...

Wow! I'm one of those people that are very relaxed around kids and don't have a problem with people taking their babies wherever they go. That being said, show some common decency! If your baby needs to be changed, excuse yourself and go find a bathroom! Or go out to your car. Sheesh, if push comes to shove, I would even say to change the baby on the floor. But not someone's desk! I would hate to eat in a restaurant where this woman had dined recently!

Welcome to my whining!

This blog is entirely for entertainment purposes. All posts about patients may be fictional, or be my experience, or were submitted by a reader, or any combination of the above. Factual statements may or may not be accurate.

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